Kósa denies proposing Hungary team up with Austria for 2026 Olympics

Olympics - 18 May 2017

Author: Callum Murray

Lajos Kósa, president of Hungary’s ice skating association and also the parliamentary group leader of the ruling Fidesz party, has denied a report that he has proposed that Hungary should team up with neighbouring Austria on a bid to host the 2026 winter Olympic Games.

Citing sources within the Hungarian Olympic committee, Bors.hu had reported that under the alleged proposal Hungary could host ice sports, while Austria hosts the snow sports at the games. The International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020 reform programme allows, for the first time, “the organisation of entire sports or disciplines” outside the host country, “in exceptional cases” for what it describes as “reasons of geography and sustainability.”

However, asked by ATV, the private broadcaster in Hungary, if the report was true, Kósa replied “No!,” but declined to comment further.

Budapest withdrew from the race to host the 2024 (summer) Olympics
earlier this year after a campaign run by a youth political organisation led to
a breakdown of cross-party political support for the bid, which had once stood
as high as 93 per cent.

A feasibility study is being conducted by the Austrian
Olympic Committee regarding a possible bid to host the 2026 games in the state
of Tyrol and city of Innsbruck.

Other possible bidders for the games include Calgary in
Canada, a city in Norway, Sion in Switzerland and Sapporo in Japan.

Late last month, it emerged that the Swedish Olympic Committee is fighting to save Stockholm’s proposed bid to stage the games amid reports of a lack of political support for the campaign.